Universal work and desk lamp



Dec. 8, 1964 o. KENT UNIVERSAL WORK AND DESK LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1962 INVENTOR. OWEN KENT ATTYS.

Q. illm m-MH ll Dec. 8, 1964 o. KENT UNIVERSAL WORK AND DESK LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1962 ATTYS United States Patent 3,16%,34 UNEVERSAL WGRK AND DESK LAMP Owen Kent, Chicago, 111., assiguor to Reliance Camera & Photo Supplies Inc, Ehicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jim. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 64,336 4 Claims. Cl. 240-52) This invention relates to a universal work and desk lamp and which, or a portion of which, may be used as a photographic boom-light.

An object of this invention is to provide a universally adaptable work and desk lamp which may be detachably mounted on or secured to any fiat supporting panel or supporting rod or pipe and universally adjusted, extended and retracted, to place a desired lamp unit or light source in any desired position relative to a work area or surface.

Prior adjustable lamps with which applicant is familiar are of limited usefulnem because of inherent limitations in the range of their adjustability, or because of their inherent inability to retain or be maintained in adjusted position, or because of inherent limitations in their mount provide a universally mountable, universally adjustable,

and readily extensible and retractable, work or desk lamp free of the limitations and defects of prior adjustable i work and desk lamps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a work and desk lamp which, or a portion of which, may be used alone, or with any common photographers tripod.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a collapsed work and desk lamp embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away because of space limitations;

FIGURE 2 is a hor'montal bottom view of the lamp shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation looking along the line 44 of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in exploded perspective showing the structure of a swivel rod connector forming part of the lamp as shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in slightly enlarged perspective of a portion of the lamp shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of the lamp of FIGURE 1.

As shown in the drawings, a lamp embodying the invention comprises a lamp unit 2 mounted on one end of a boom 4, as by a swivel mount 6, the boom being mounted in a'swivel rod connector 8 adjustably clamped to the boom 4 and to a rod 10 in turn secured to a work clamping or mounting means'12.

The lamp unit 2 may comprise the usual electric lamp socket 14 receiving a lamp bulb 16, the usual reflector (not shown) and adjusting knob 18, centrally bored, as at 19, and secured in any convenient manner to the socket 1 4. The boom 4 comprises a pair of telescopically interfitting tubes or hollow rods 29 and 22, preferably of aluand 'a complementary nut (not shown).

Patented Dec. 8, 1964 minum, the tube 22 carrying at its outer end a sleeve 24 formed integrally with a ball 26 (FIGURE 3). The

sleeve 24 and ball 26 form part of the mounting means 6 for the lamp unit 2 which also comprises-a bands 28 and 30.

The ball 26 is formed with an annular serrated area 32 and the metal bands 2% and 30 are provided with partspherical depressions 34 for receiving the ball 26, the bands being clamped to the socket and in frictional engagement with the serrated area of the ball by a screw 36 pair of metal An electric cord 38 passes through the central bore 19 of the knob 18 into the socket 14 and through the tubes 22 and 20 and extends from the other end of the tube 22. The cord may carry at its free end the usual connecting plug (not shown). The cord 38 extends into the sleeve 24 and into the tube 22 through enlarged openings 49 and 42, the outer edge portions of the openings 40 and 42 being substantially semi-cylindrical in extent and being inclined to the common axis of the tube 22 on sleeve 24 as illustrated at 44, FIGURES, so that when the lamp unit is swung downwardly, with reference to FIGURE 1, no sharp bending of the cord will occur.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, a substantial length of cord 38 extends between the knob 13 and the sleeve 24 in the form of a loop or looped portion of sulficient lengthto accommodate complete rotational adjustment of A the lamp unit reiativetothe boom. The movement of the cord inwardly and outwardly of the boom as the lamp unit is rotationally adjusted relative to the boom is limited in order to minimize rubbing, wearing and fraying of Y the cord, by a simple and inexpensive means comprising a corrugated clip 46 secured to the cord and, restrained .in its movement by reason of the fact that it is larger in cross dimension than the opening 42 and is engageable by a small pin or self-tapping screw 48, secured to the wall of the tube. The pin 48 extends inwardly ofthe tube sufliciently to engage the clip 46 and thereby preclude any substantial shortening of the external loop of the cord between the sleeve 24 and the lamp adjusting knob 18. i i

The boom 4 comprises in addition to the extensible and I retractable tubes 20 and'22, the sleeve 24 and ball26, a cap 5i? for the tube 29, the cap having anfannular or collar portion 52 encircling the outer end of the tube 20 and an opening therethrough smaller than the opening in the tube 22 but large enough topermit telescoping of the tube 20 intoand from the tube 22. The cap '56 is'provided with a threaded radial opening 54 to'receivea clamping screw 56 which passes through an enlarged opening 58 in the .boom tube 20 to clamp the tube 22 in any adjusted position relative to the tube Zll. The clamping screw 56 is provided with a large disk-like operating head or knob 66, having a relatively, deeply serrated edge 62 for easy operation. v

The outward adjustment or extension of the tube 20 relative to the tube 22 is limited-by a 'split wire ring 64 snapped into a circumferential recess 66 in the tube 20 relatively adjacent its inner end, the snap ring 64 in relaxed condition being smaller than the bore of the tube 22 but sufiiciently, larger than the tube 2.0 to engage the cap portion of the member 50. i

The boom 4 also includes a hard rubber sleeve 68 pressfitted onto the tube 29 at theinner end and also held thereon by a perforated plug 70 having a shank '72 press-fitted into the inner end of the tube 20.

-The swivel rod connector 8 comprises a pair of die cast, preferably aluminum, members 74 and 76 having as shown in FIGURE 5 disk-like body pcrtions'78 and dil'respectively. The member 74 is formed. with an integral, split sleeve portion or member 82, the axis of thesplit sleeve portion 82 being parallel to but offset from the plane surface 84 of the disk-like member or portion 7 8.

One of the wings of the split sleeve portion 82 is provided with a threaded opening 86 while the other wing is provided with a somewhat enlarged unthreaded opening (not shown) aligned with the threaded opening 86 to receive the shank of a threaded clamping screw 88, FIG- URE 1, having a clamping head 90 and a circumferentially serrated, operating disk or knob 92 on the outer end of the clamping head 90.

The member76 is formed with an integral sleeve portion 94 having its axis substantially parallel to but ofiset I from the plane surface 96 of the disk portion 80. One end of the sleeve portion 94 may be internally threaded as at 98, FIGURE 5, and a cap screw 100 may be provided to close that end of the sleeve. The disk-like portions 78 and 80 are provided with axial openings therethrough and a threaded stud 102 passes through said openings, the

stud 102 being fixed to the die cast member 76. For that purpose, the stud 102 may be provided with longitudinal splines 104 adjacent its round head 106 and the stud is pressed into the opening in the die cast member 76 so as to fix the stud to the die cast member.

The die cast member 74 is provided with a flat surface 108 about the stud receiving opening in its disk-like portion 78, which surface is parallel or substantially parallel to the plane surface 84 for supporting a flat washer 110 mounted on the stud 102 and interposed between the plane surface 108 and a lock nut 112. The lock nut has a work clamping face 114, engaging the washer 110 and inwardly peened, swaged or pressed, arcuate areas 116 on its opposite face, the axial pressing, swaging or peening of the areas 116 in the free face of the nut serving to longitudinally displace a part of a thread turn, or one or more thread turns, adjacent the free face of the nut firmly to lock the nut to the stud 102 so that the member 76, the stud 102 and nut 112 are firmly locked together.

Applicant has found that if the plane surfaces 84 and. f

96 of the die cast members 74 and 76 are brought into direct engagement with each other and the nut 112 tightened' sufficiently to provide a holding force effective to' retain the boom 4 and lamp unit 6 in adjusted position the die cast members tend in a short time to become bound or to freeze, one to another, but applicant has also found that a lubricated, plain steel washer 118 inserted between the plane surfaces 84 and 86 avoids the freezing or binding of the parts but at the same time permits the an inch so that any standard round curtain rod or tube,

as well as the conventional vertical, mounting rod of a photographers tripod, may be received inthe sleeve. The sleeve portion 94 is provided with a threaded radial opening midway of its length to receive a clamping screw 117, FIG. 2, for securing the member 76 in adjusted position on the rod 10, the clamping screw having secured to its outer end a circumferentially serrated or splined operating knob or disk 119.

The work clamping or mounting means 12 comprises a combined c-clamp 120 and a double swivel, mounting bracket 122. The arm 122 of the C-clamp 120 is provided with an internally threaded boss 124 which, receives a clamping screw 126 on the inner end of which is rotatably mounted, in the conventional manner, a clamping member or disk 128. The clamping screw 126 is provided at its outer end with an enlarged disk-like head 130 (FIGURE, 4) circumferentially serrated as at 132. A centrally bored v 4 disk or knob 134 is press-fit on the head of the clampingscrew 126, the circumferential serrations 132 serving as longitudinal splines securing the disk 134 to the clamp ing screw. The disk 134 is preferably provided with circumferential serrations or longitudinal splines 136 for ready manipulation thereof. It may be noted that the operating disks or knobs 60 and 119 may be secured in like manner to their respective clamping screws 56 and 117.

The other arm 138 of the C-clamp 120 provides an anvil for the work clamping member 128 and for that purpose is formed with a flat anvil surface 140 facing the member 128 and provided with a pair of perpendicularly arranged V-grooves 142 and 144 in the anvil surface 140 and intersectingat a point in line with the axis of the clamping screw 126, as shown in FIG. 7, so that the C-clarnp may be clamped to the edge of any flat supporting panel, desk,

. table top, or other flat surface, as indicated at 146 in FIG- URE l, or to round support rods, pipes or other rounded surfaces, as indicated at 148 in FIGURE 2 and at 150 in FIGURE 6.

The common arm or leg 152 of the 'C-clamp 120 is formed with an integral, circular .boss or mounting base 154, FIGURE 4, having a plane surface 156 facing away from the arms 122 and 138 and provided with a threaded aperture 158.

The double swivel bracket 122, forming a part of the work clamping or mounting means or base 12, may comprise a die-cast member or swivel bracket 160, preferably of aluminum, having a pair of arms 162 and 164 arranged perpendicularly to each other, the arm 162 being provided with a plane surface 166 facing downwardly in FIGURE 4 and the arm 164 is provided with a plane surface 168 facing away from the arm 162. A die-cast swivel member 170, similar to the die-case member 76 of the swivel rod connector 8, comprises a disk-like member 172 having a plane surface 17 4 facing the surface 168 of the swivel bracket and an integral sleeve portion 176 having its axis parallel to the surface 174 but offset therefrom to receive the other end of the rod 10. A stud 178, similar to the threaded stud 102, is similarly secured to the arm 164 of the swivel bracket 160 and receives on its outer end a washer 180 and a lock nut 182, identical to the washer 110 and lock nut 112 respectively. A lubricated washer 184, identical to the lubricated washer 118, is interposed between the surfaces 168 and 174 to permit rotary adjustment of the swivel member 170 relative to the swivel bracket 160 and the frictional retention of the rod 10, the swivel rod connector 8, the boom 4 and the lamp unit 6 in any position of adjustment about the 7 axis of the stud 178.

A clamping screw 186 is provided with a circumferentially serrated or splined disk or knob 188 secured thereto in the same manner as the disk 134 is secured to the clamping screw 126, the clamping screw 186 being received in a radially threaded aperture in the sleeve 176 to engage and clamp the rod 10 in any adjusted position relative to the sleeve 176.

The swivel bracket 160 may be mounted upon and positively clamped in any adjusted position relative to the leg 152 of the C-clamp 120 as by a bolt and washer 190 and 192, respectively, the bolt 190 being threadedly received in the threaded aperture 158.

If it is desired to provide for the manual adjustment of the swivel bracket 160, without wrench release of the bolt 190 and its frictional retention in its various adjusted positions relative to the C-clamp 120, a threaded stud, such as the stud 102 or 178, may be pressed into the arm 152 of the C-clamp with the shank portion of the stud extending therefrom in a direction opposite to the arms 122 and 138 and a lubricated washer, similar to the washers 118 and 184, may be inserted between the plane surfaces'156 and 166 and a lock nut with an accompanying washer, similar to the lock nut 116 and washer 119 may be mounted on the threaded stud.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 6, the arm 138 of the C-clamp may be provided with an aperture 194 extending longitudinally of the arm 138, parallel to the axis of the pivot bolt 190 and of a diameter to receive the rod 10. The arm 138 of the C-clamp may also be formed with a boss 1% having a threaded opening therein, transverse to the aperture 194, and receiving a rod clamping screw 193, which may be a set screw or a clamping screw with an operating knob similar to the clamping screw and operating knob 56, 60, 117, 119 or 186. The aperture 194 and clamping screw 198 provide means for mounting the rod directly on the C-clamp 120 when for any reason the double swivel 122 should be found to be in the way of, or to prevent, the mounting of the lamp on the best available or desired panel or rod support, in which event the double swivel may be removed from the C-clamp or swung out of the Way to permit the rod 10 to be directly inserted in the aperture 194;

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a work or desk lamp embodying the described invention may be fully collapsed into small compass for transport or storage and for ready mounting of the base on any vertical supporting panel or surface, as indicated at 146 in FIGURE 1 or on the upper end of a vertical rod or tube support, as indicated at 148 in FIGURE 2.

By rotating the sheet of drawings containing FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be evident that the lamp base may similarly be mounted on the edge of any supporting panel regardless of its inclination, or at the end of a supporting pipe or red regardless of its direction.

if the lamp is mounted on a vertical panel or rod, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the lamp unit 6 may be tilted in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis through the'center of the ball 26 transverse to the boom axis and selectively or simultaneously swung around the axis of the boom 4, in a vertical plane transverse to the first mentioned plane, by loosening either the clamping screw 56 or the clamping screw 88 and swung in a horizontal plane about the vertical axes of the bolt 190. It will also be evident that the lamp unit and boom may be raised or lowered in a vertical plane Without release of any clamping means, to clear any intervening obstacle or object or to position the lamp unit close to, or at the desired distance from, the object or worksurface to be illuminated, by merely grasping the boom 4 or rod 10 and swinging the die cast members 74 and 76 of the swivel rod connector 8 about the axis of the threaded stud 102. or the stud 178. It will also be evident that the lamp unit and boom may be swung in a vertical plane and to any desired elevation (depending on the length of the rod 10) by merely grasping the rod 10, or the rod connector 8, and swinging the die cast member 179 about the axis of the threaded stud 178, and simultaneously or selectively the angle between the boom 4 and rod 10 may be adjusted by swinging the boom about the axes of the stud 102.

It will also be evident that the lamp unit 6, the boom 4 and the rod 10 may be bodily swung as a unit about a vertical axis, to swing the entire structure into any ad justed position transverse to the clamping axis of the C-clamp 120, as may be desired or in order to' clear some obstacle which may be in the way of the rod 10, by rotating the swivel bracket 160 relative to the G-clamp 126, during which swinging movement or bodily adjustment of the entire unit adjustment may also be of the rod 16 about the horizontal axis of the threaded stud 178 and the boom adjusted about the axis of the threaded stud 102 of the swivel connector 8 as may be desired or as necessary to clear intervening objects or obstacles.

It will be clear that simultaneously with or separately from these several above described adjustments, the boom may be extended or retracted as desired by loosening the clamping screws 56, 88 and/ or 186.

It is also to be noted that the cap screw 100 may be removed from the sleeve section 94 of the swivel rod connector 8 to allow the rod 10 to pass entirely through the sleeve section 94 so that, when convenient or necessary, the swivel rod connector 8, the boom 4 and lamp unit 6 may be adjusted longitudinally of the rod 10 as, for example, when it is necessary or more convenient to adjust the swivel rod connector 8 toward or from the double swivel 122 without changing the adjustment of the rod 10 relative to the double swivel.

It will also be evident that the lamp unit, the boom and the swivel rod connector may be swung about the axis of the rod 10' to any desired adjusted position merely by loosening either the clamping screw 117 or the clamping screw 186. i

It will also be evident, if the sheet of drawing containing FIGURES l and 2 be rotated in a counterclockwise direction so that the work supporting panel or rod extends horizontally rather than vertically, that similar selec- It should be noted also that if for any reason, in any particular situation, the double swivel 122 should be in the way of the attachment of the clamp to the most convenient support, it may be swung out of the way, upon release of the bolt 190, by swinging the swivel 150 about the axis of that bolt, or may be detached entirely from the =C-clarnp 120, and the rod 10 inserted in the threaded opening 194 in the arm 138 of the C-clamp and locked in position therein by the set screw 198.

When the rod 16 is mounted in the aperture 194 in the arm 138 of the C-clamp, the entire boom and lamp unit may be swung about an axis parallel to the anvil surface of the C-clarnp by first releasing the set screw 198.

Where it is desired to use the lamp as a photographers boom light, a /3" 'rod longer than normally required for desk or work lighting purposes may be used in place of the rod 10, or the swivel rod connector 8 may be released from the rod 10 and the member '76 of the swivel rod connector secured to the top of the usual vertical rod of the customary tripod.

Itwill be apparent from the foregoing description that t applicant has provided a work and desk lamp which, or a portion of which, may be used as a photographers boom light and which is universally mountable on any flat panel or supporting surface or on any round rod, pipe or other rounded supporting surface whether the supporting panel, rod or pipe extends in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction or at any inclination to either direction and which is universally, rotationally adjustable in the three coordinate planes and extensible and retractable at will so that the light provided by the lamp unit may be directed, focused or concentrated on any work surface or object and at any desired elevation or distance (within reasonable limits) from the area or object to be illuminated merely by substituting for the rod or tube 10' as shown a longer or shorter rod purchasable in the desired length or lengths from any hardware "or drapery supply store.

I claim:

, 1. In a universal work and desk lamp or the like, a swivel rod connector comprising a pair of die cast metal members, one of said members having a bore slidably receiving a rod and a clamp-ing screw securing the rod in adjusted position therein, the other member having a bore slidably receiving asecond rod and a clamping screw securing the second rod in adjusted position therein, a

pivot stud secured to one of said members, the other of I said members being pivotally mounted on said stud, a lubricatedmetal washer on said stud between said members and means for clamping said members in firm frictional engagement with said washer to permit rotary ad- 7 justment of said members and the frictional retention of enema-e the rods in any relative angular position to which said members may be manuallyadjusted. r

2. In a universal work and desk lamp or the like as specified in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises an externally threaded section of said pivot stud, a lock nut on said threaded section of the pivot stud and a second washer interposed between said nut and said other member.

3. A rod mounting means for a lamp or the like comprising a C-clamp having opposed free arms to receive between them a supporting member, a clamping screw carried by one of said arms, a work engaging clamp carried on the free end of said screw between said arms, said other free arm having a work engaging anvil, a swivel bracket having transversely disposed arms, means for pivoting one of said 'arms on the common leg of said C-clamp for pivotal adjustment about an axis parallel to said arms, a rod receiving sleeve having a portion pivotally secured to the other arm of said swivel bracket for pivotal adjustment about an axis transverse to said 8 1y mounting said rod receiving bracket on the base of the C-clamp for angular adjustment, releasable means for securing a received rod in said bracket, one arm of said O-clamp having a rod receiving opening therein and means for detachably securing a rod in said arm opening.

I References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,463 7/09 McGavin 240-88 X I 1,408,834 3/22 Seavey 240-81 1,503,638 8/24 Cooper 248-276 1,543,037 6/25 Teeter 248-276 X 1,714,003 5/29 Deach 24073 X 1,823,274 9/31 Kilburn 240-73 2,107,914 2/ 38 Stricker et a1 240-73 2,389,340 11/45 Bateman 240-73 2,440,873 5/48 Popp et al 240-73 2,520,884 8/50 Laube 248-2261 3,078,367 2/63 Jackson 24052.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 116,662 3/43 Australia. 959,471 10/49 France. 727,941 4/53 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

- LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner. 

1. IN A UNIVERSAL WORK AND DESK LAMP OR THE LIKE, A SWIVEL ROD CONNECTOR COMPRISING A PAIR OF DIE CAST METAL MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A BORE SLIDABLY RECEIVING A ROD AND A CLAMPING SCREW SECURING THE ROD IN ADJUSTED POSITION THEREIN, THE OTHER MEMBER HAVING A BORE SLIDABLY RECEIVING A SECOND ROD AND A CLAMPING SCREW SECURING THE SECOND ROD IN ADJUSTED POSITION THEREIN, A PIVOT STUD SECURED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID STUD, A LUBRICATED METAL WASHER ON SAID STUD BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS AND MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID MEMBERS IN FIRM FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID WASHER TO PERMIT ROTARY ADJUSTMENT OF SAID MEMBERS AND THE FRICTIONAL RETENTION OF THE RODS IN ANY RELATIVE ANGULAR POSITION TO WHICH SAID MEMBERS MAY BE MANUALLY ADJUSTED. 